Improvement in gas hand-lamps



HENRY J. RICE, CF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, JOHN K. LOVE, JAMES S. SMITH, AND WILLIAM B. SMITH.

BMPRVEMENT IN GAS HANDLAMPS.

Specification ibrming part of Letters Patent No. 1l7,331, dated July 25, 1871.

- pressly constructed with a view to giving a brilliant light from a broad gas-tlame without the use of a chimney, and itis adapted for use for in-door as well as for out-door use, as in street-lamps, during cold as well as warm weather.

Figure l is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a vertica-l section of a lamp with my improvements thereon; Fig. 3, a top view ofthe wick-tube 5 and Fi g. 4, a top view ofthe burner-tip.

A is the reservoir or vessel, of any convenient shape or material to contain a supply oi' any proper gas-generating fluid, such as gasoline. B is a wick-tube, passing through and closely connected with the cap C, the latter being arranged to be screwed or fitted tightly to place in the top opening of the reservoir, so as to make a perfectly airtight joint, a rubber or other tlexible rin g or washer being preferably placed betweenv the cap and the top of the vessel, the better to insure a tightness oi' the joint. The tube, while open at its bottom, is closed at its top, with the exceptionv of a very minute and almost invisible oriiice,1, for the emission ofthe evolved to supply the iiame, the gasoline, by capillary attraction or the wick 2, rising Within the tube to a point a little below its top, the space between the top ofthe wicl; andthe top ofthe tube forming a gas-ch amber, as seen at 3. This space may bevaried in dimension, as desired,according to the height or' the wick. The wick-tube B I make of very thin metal, in order that the iiuid or gasoline (which is ot' a very cold nature) shall, in passing up the wick, act as a nonconductor of heat. This is very essential, as it keeps the lamp from becoming heated, and this prevents liability to explosions. D is a taper screw-plug. E is a copper tube, of a size to nt snugly over the wich-tube and hold its position thereon by friction at any desired elevation. F F are copper' lips or ilat wings surmormting tube E, and between these two wings is located a lava tip or burner, G, having a vertical slit in its top, the same fitting into the top of tube E, as seen in the drawing. This tip lodges in the tube and the copper lips rise a little above it, so as to permit only the lower edge or' the tlame to come in contact with them. The slit in the burner I place parallel with the general direction of the sides of the wings F, the latter at their outer ends approaching each other somewhat as seen in Fig. 4. A space, 4 4, is left for the descent of atmospheric air between the lava burner and the copper tips, in order to cause complete combustion ofthe gas, thereby dispensing with the use of a chimney, which in my construction, is not needed. @ne method which I employ to give these descending currents is to have a ring of small p erforations made in the wing or bonnet just between the lava tip and the outer wall ofthe copper tube or bonnet, these perforations surrounding the lava tip. These iine descending currents of atmospheric air outside the lava tip, which are caused by the suction created bythe rapid ascent ot` heated gas through this tip, commingle with the mixed air and gas passing from oriiice l and openings 5 5, and strengthen the force of current asthey all together merge into one united stream and pass up through the lava tip. The effect is that, when the lamp is lighted, the combustion is so perfect that a clear transparent space, as seen at 6, is perceived between the Atop ofthe lava tip and the lower visible edge of the dame. The amount of atmospheric air entering at t-he side openings 5 5 in the tube E may be regulated, as required, according to circumstances or the state ofthe weather; or for in-door or outdoor uses by simply raising or lowering the tube. By rea-son othaving the gasoline closely confined and with no outlet except through the minute oriiice I located high above the liquid, a pressure is exerted upon the generated, which, when the brass tube is slightly warmed by grasping it for a moment by the hand, when the lamp is a little further heated at the top, is increased, so that a jet is forced out or' the oritice l, and which passes directly upward into and through the lava burner, the air at the same time passing down the perfo rations or passages 4 4 around and outside the burner, resulting in a spread, broad, brilliant ilame.

The pressure, it will be seen, is not derived from the weight of the mass of lluid descending from above by gravity, as is usually the practice, but

from the expansive upward pressure. In order to cause my lamp to burn, I exclude the air from the reservoir and keep the plug D tight, and only admit air when the lamp is extinguished, to prevent its otherwise overilowing. Only when the lamp is being lled do I loosen the cap C. One great value incident to this close coniinement in an airtight Vessel is that, when accidentally upset, the liquid cannot run out and take fire. It is well known that the effect of flame on copper, if the upper portion ofthe iiame is permitted to come in contact with it, is to givethe light a greenish cast, thus diminishing, to a great extent, its brilliancy. It is also w ell known that brass causes the light to be more brilliant; but brass, however, soon burns and breaks off, while copper lasts at least seven times as long; besides, it heats much quicker and holds its heat much longer.

Now, by my construction of the adjustable copper tip and wings, with a lava tip placed inside the same, and with a descending air-current between them, and the lowest points only of the flame, if any, coming in contact with the wings, yet with the commingling of the air and gas, as described, at the bottom ofthe lava tip, and also between such bottom and the tube E, at a point below the copper wings, I am enabled to obtain f side holes in the tube E may, if desired, be dispensed with by my construction, and in such case the atmospheric air would be conveyed to the bottom of the lava tip only by means of the abovenamed descending currents.

I claim- In combination with an air-tight reservoir and wick-tube B rising above it, and constructed as described, the adjustable copper tube E, surrounded by a lava burner and copper wings or bonnet F F, and provided with air-inlets and passages for descending currents, all as shown and described.

HENRY J. RICE. Witnesses:

AUGUST HUMMEL, JNO. P. MURPHY. 

